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- (No Model.)

G. W. MOKIM. moc ss or MANUFACTURING BROOMS FROM WOOD SPLINTS.

N70. 425,043. Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

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GEORGE IV. MOKIM, OF MARTINS FERRY, OHIO, A-SSIGNOR TO CHARLES E. MOKIM, OF SAME PLACE.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING BROOMS FROM WOOD SPLINTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,043, dated April 8, 1890.

Application filed May 17, 1889. Serial No. 311,186. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WV. MOKIM, residing at Martins Ferry, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and Improved Process for Manufacturing Brooms from WVood Splints, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a suitable process whereby natural woods such as elm, hickory, or berry-ash, and the like-may be so treated and manipulated as to produce splints which will become a substantial substitute for broom-corn, and which will be so produced that they may be readily handled in the same manner as broomcorn.

My invention therefore consists in the peculiar process I employ to reduce the woods into splints and in such conditions that they may be employed as before stated; and it further consists in the specific manner of operation and the novel method which I employ, all of which I will describe in the annexed specification, and particularly point out in the claims.

To the more clearly describe my invention I will refer to the accompanying drawing, which is a diagrammatic representation of the different machines by which the wood billets are treated.

In connection with said drawing I would state that no attempt to illustrate any particular machine has been made, as it is obvious that any specially-constructed machine may be used. I would state, further, that the mechanism employed by me in the practical operation of my process is clearly illustrated in my application for a patent thereon, Serial No. 311,185, filed of even date with this application. It willbe therefore understood that when I refer to the machine or mechanism in this application I refer more particularly to the mechanism referred to in the said application.

being partially dried, are placed upon the cutting-machine 2,-and thereby reduced to long thin splints, cut with the grain of the wood running lengthwise. The splints are then allowed to still further dry; but before being thoroughly dry have about one-half their length immersed into and boiled in a suitable acid or chemical bath, preferably diluted sulphuric acid, which treatment effects a disintegration of the splints without reducing them to small pieces, and will render said ends more elastic or pliable than the remaining portion of the splints. In the employment of sulphuric acid, however, the ends of the splints will become darkened. They can, however, be brought back to their natural color by being immediately dipped into a solution of soda or potash. This last treatment, however, forms no special part of my invention, as the splints may be readily brought to any desired color by the regular bleaching process. After the splints have been boiled in the acid-vat, as described, they are allowed to dry, after which their elastic ends are inserted into any suitable waterproofing-liquid, so as to render the said ends substantially Water-proof. The ends of the splints are then inserted between any suitable crushingrolls and have the grain crushed transversely. The said crushed ends are then operated upon by a suitable revolving hackle or other device and are split or torn longitudinally, thereby reducing said ends to a fine fibrous condition. The splints may be, if desired, treated by any well-known bleaching process, and are then ready for the market. By crushing the ends of the splints-say three to six inchesit will be observed that the said ends will be rendered very pliable, and by splitting or tearing the end say to about one inch, more or lessthat'the ends will be of such fine texture that they can be used on the finest textile fabrics. It will also be observed that as the fibrous ends wear away the splints will tend to follow up on the body of the splints the entire distance of the grain-crushed ends, thereby always presenting the same fibrous ends during the wear of the material. It will be understood that the splints may be worked into broom I ters Patent, is

1. The process of forming wood splints for broom-making, consisting of first reducing the wood billets into thin splints, boiling one-halt (more or less) the length of said splints in a suitable bath, (preferably diluted with sulphuric acid,) and afterward subjecting said boiled ends to a treatment which will render the same substantially water-proof, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. An improved process of forming wood splints for broom-making, consisting of first reducing the wood billets to fine splints out with the grain lengthwise thereof, then boiling one-half (more or less) of the splints in a suitable bath (such as diluted sulphuric acid) to render said ends more elastic, and

then crushing the ends of said elastic portions, so as to break the grain, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. An improved process of forming splints from wood billets for broom-making, consisting of first reducing the wood billet by a suitable cutting-machine into fine splints with the grain of the wood running lengthwise, then boiling one-half (more or less) of one end of the splints in a suitable bath (preferably diluted sulphuric acid) to render said end more elastic, then crushing the ends of said elastic ends to break the grain, and then splitting or tearing out the extreme ends of said crushed portion in direction of the length of the splints, substantially as shown and described.

4. The hereinbefore-deseribed process for forming splints from wood billets for broommaking, consisting of first boiling said billets in hot water to render same pliable, then cutting said billets into thin narrow splints with the grain of the wood running lengthwise thereof, then boiling one-half (more or less) of the splints in a suitable bath (such as, for instance, diluted sulphuric acid) to render said ends more elastic, then crushing a portion of the ends of said elastic portions to break the grain, and then splitting or tearing the ends of said crushed portions longi tudinally, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE \V. MCKIM.

Witnesses:

THEo. SNoDGRAss, W M. TUProN. 

